YAKIMA, WA - It’s a rare treat to be able to use the word 'excellent' when refering to your upcoming harvest season. With that being said, Superfresh Growers® is not only excited about its upcoming apple and pear season, but certain retailers and consumers are going to be excited as well. This week, Superfresh Growers released another Orchard Update with Dave Gleason, revealing some insights on quality, operations, and more for this season’s apple and pear harvests.

“It is truly morning this morning,” Gleason says to start the Orchard Update off. “This time of year, the sun is intense; the afternoons get hot, and we do whatever we can to moderate that both for our trees and our workers. Right now, we’re at the tail-end of cherries; pears have started, and we’re beginning to get our first apples. We’re excited about that.”

Gleason goes on to divulge that, so far, Superfresh Growers is experiencing a great growing season, with great sugar, good size, and good crop evident across the board. The company is especially excited for its Autumn Glory apples, which, Gleason notes, are developing nicely, with golden types and Galas also shaping up.

“It’s just been an excellent year so far in fruit development,” Gleason exclaims, before diving into some of the practices Superfresh Growers is employing to deliver the very best product. “In Eastern Washington, we get some of the most intense sunlight in the world, and that is a real benefit for us as that makes photosynthesis incredibly effective…Over the years, we’ve looked at a lot of different ways of moderating that environment.”

One solution Superfresh Growers uses to ensure the environment is just right for the fruit is tapping into irrigation water, which Gleason notes is not without its complexities as water is a very important resource that the company does not want to abuse. Another solution the company uses is shade cloths—something the company is still developing as there is an exact shade equation needed to get the maximum results for tree growth, sugar development, fruit size, and to effectively prevent heat.

To watch the full video, click here. And for more orchard updates, market insights, and produce coverage, keep reading AndNowUKnow.